Wyoming Senior Center Shooter Complained About Poker Games: Police

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CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A resident of a senior citizen apartment complex who shot three people, killing one before he killed himself, wrote a letter expressing concern about poker games in a common room, police said Thursday.

Cheyenne Police Department spokesman Dan Long called it a "letter of discontent" but did not provide more details about what Larry Rosenberg, 77, wrote before he opened fire at Heritage Court Apartments.

Detectives have not made conclusions about Rosenberg's motive but were looking into "longstanding animosity" between Rosenberg and the three victims before the shooting Wednesday in Wyoming's state capital, Long said.

The victim who died was identified Thursday as 45-year-old Matthew Wilson, a complex employee.

Building residents Gregory Gilbert, 65, and Larry Warwick, 74, were identified by Long as the victims who were wounded and taken to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center.

Gilbert was in critical condition Thursday, said hospital spokeswoman Kathy Baker. Warwick was no longer listed in the hospital's directory of patients but Baker said she could not provide additional details.

Gilbert was one of the organizers of the poker games held three times a week that bothered some residents, said Mary Eastman, a resident who described Rosenberg as a friendly man who went with her to yard sales. Long said he could not immediately confirm that Gilbert had organized the games.

Rosenberg gave Eastman the letter on Wednesday before the shootings, just as she was leaving to go shopping, she said. She returned to find the complex had turned into a crime scene. She opened the letter later and gave it to police.

Rosenberg shot Wilson and Gilbert next to each other outside the complex and shot Warwick inside it, Long said.

He then fled on a bicycle and shot himself with a handgun as officers approached him about a mile away, Long said.

Rosenberg also had a rifle and "past contacts" with police but Long said he was unable to provide details about previous police interaction with him.

Detectives on Thursday were conducting additional interviews with apartment complex residents, Long said.

On Thursday, the common room where the poker games were held was empty, with country music playing at low volume.

Telephone messages left seeking comment with the owner of the complex, Accessible Space Inc. of St. Paul, Minnesota, were not returned.

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